Page 93 of Lord of Justice

She lets out a weak little chuckle. "Yeah.Ithink so, anyway."

"Iris," I whisper hoarsely, trying to find an unbruised part of her body to hold.

***

Iisus Khristos- Russian for Jesus Christ

Chapter Forty-Five

In which very few things could make Andrey Morozov speechless, but this is one of them.

Iris…

Once the tidal wave of pain dies down, my brain comes back online. “It wasElana Carrington,” I rasp, yanking on Andrey's shirt. "She runs a baby farm. Those poor girls! Sometimes, she kidnaps someone from a crime family and sells their baby to their enemies." My throat closes in horror.

Andrey grabs a bottle of water, holding it to my lips. "Hang on, sweetheart, take a drink."

"She was going to do it with our baby." I'm shuddering and he lifts me gently, putting me on his lap. "S- she was so happy, she told the doctor he was getting a bonus. Who would she have sold our-"

"Shh…" he croons, rocking me, being careful of my various injuries. "No one. No one will ever hurt our child, I swear it. Elana Carrington's ability to hurt other women is about to end in a very painful way."

I can hear a helicopter coming closer. "Please tell me that's one of ours," I beg him.

"Yes, I'm going to get you to the Morozov Clinic as quickly as possible and Rose will join you there, I promise." I'm grateful that he thought to reassure me that Rose was on her way, too.

"She's all right? You'resure?"

"Yes," Nikandr says, coming up behind his brother. "Roman just reported that Rose was retrieved. She's safe and unharmed. Though it looks like she's been in a hell of a fight. And maybe lost."

"We were," I nod.

Nikandr whistles. "Well, I want you at my back during my next bar fight."

I laugh and then wince as my sore ribs make themselves known. "You might need to give me a couple weeks. But I am there for you. I'll have your back with a broken beer bottle in one hand and a pool cue in the other."

Andrey looks vaguely horrified. "That’s… oddly specific. Don't even joke about that. On the bright side," he says, kissing my forehead, “you must be feeling better."

It's then I remember Melina and my guys and I'm so ashamed it didn't hit me sooner.

"Melina," I say, hand tightening on his. "Melina and Av and the guys. Please tell me they’re not…" I can't get the words out. It will make them true.

"I don't know their status," he says. "Once I get you to the clinic, Aunt Ella will update us, all right?"

When the helicopter lands, Andrey carries me off the plane, still wrapped in my blanket burrito. He'd pulled out his knife at one point to cut off all the duct tape, so I didn't feel like I was in a straitjacket. He lifts me in gently and straps me in before climbing onboard himself.

The pilot turns and I see that it's Alexsey flying the helicopter. "Good to see you, Iris." He glares at Andrey. "Please try not to destroyanotherhelicopter. I'm fond of this one."

Andrey shakes his head when I glance at him. "This last one was not my fault." He does a magnificent job of somehow managing to hold me close while still keeping me strapped in for the quick flight back into Manhattan.

They were serious about taking me to the Morozov Clinic right away, because the helicopter lands in the parking lot.

The staff gynecologist is waiting for us, hands in her white coat. She'ssoreassuring after dealing with that coked-up bastard at "the facility." Aunt Ella's sweet face crumples a bit when she sees me, so I must really look like shit. She recovers quickly, though, and goes into doctor mode. Andrey carries me into a suite where the ultrasound machine is primed and ready.

"I can treat your other wounds first," she says.

"No," I croak. "The baby. Baby first."

There's a commotion in the hallway and Rose bursts into the room. "Iris!" she sobs. "They hurt you."